HEALTH CONCERN A health worker checks the condition of an evacuee in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, as some residents displaced by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon this month start getting sick while in shelters. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
BACOLOD CITY—Health officials are working double time to prevent an outbreak of illnesses in at least 34 evacuation centers on Negros Island where over 14,000 of Negrenses have been forced to spend the holidays following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon last Dec. 9.
Dr. Razel Nikka Hao, regional director of the Department of Health-Negros Island Region (DOH-NIR), said on Monday that many of the health complaints at the evacuation centers in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental were for cough and colds.
“Those treated for these two ailments comprise four percent of the evacuees,” she said.
As of Dec. 29, there were 24 cases of fever and 53 for acute respiratory infection, including cough and colds.
Hao said only seven persons have been referred to hospitals, two of whom were admitted—one for exacerbated hypertension, which has been stabilized, and the other for rehydration due to diarrhea.
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The DOH-NIR reported that its teams had conducted 3,345 consultations and treatment at the different evacuation centers.
Hao said the different ailments that hit some evacuees were, however, under control.
As of Monday, there are 14,469 individuals on Negros Island who were evacuated following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon early this month.
Roving medics
The DOH is augmenting the local health teams in each evacuation center.
Hao said nurses at each of the evacuation centers help catch cases that need to be treated or referred to hospitals.
It also has available medicines at the evacuation centers.
The DOH has 28 teams with doctors that make the rounds at the evacuation centers located in the town of La Castellana and the cities of La Carlota, Bago, and San Carlos in Negros Occidental, as well as in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
The department has deployed 140 personnel composed of six doctors, 34 nurses, 77 other medical staff and 14 technical staff.
“The roving teams are also on call for more severe cases on those needing diagnosis,” Hao said.
Intensified unrest
There was no notice yet when the evacuated residents could return home, with authorities saying they have to be kept away from the danger zones since Mt. Kanlaon was continuing to display intensified magmatic unrest on Sunday.
On Monday morning, the volcano also had four ash emissions, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.
“The ongoing activity at Mt. Kanlaon underscores the importance of community preparedness and vigilance,” the OCD said.
It added that local authorities and emergency services should remain “on high alert, ensuring resources are available to support the affected residents.”
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said communities within the 6-kilometer radius of the summit crater must remain evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles and ashfall, lava flows, rockfalls and other related hazards.
Local governments and disaster response units, it said, must also vigilantly monitor weather conditions in case heavy rainfall occurs and generate lahars and sediment-laden streamflows in channels draining the southern flanks of the volcano. INQ